Die thermal management through coolant flow control

Abstract

A system and method for thermal management of a die is disclosed wherein cooling of the die is controlled by controlling coolant flow to switch between laminar flow and turbulent flow as desired.

1. A system for thermal management of a die for die casting of metal comprising:
 a source of coolant ( 20 ); 
 a source of heat ( 12 ) having an inlet ( 14 ) and an outlet ( 16 ); 
 a flow control valve ( 34 ) having an inlet ( 33 ) and an outlet ( 36 ), the inlet ( 33 ) of said flow control valve ( 34 ) in fluid communication with said source of coolant ( 20 ) and the outlet ( 36 ) of said flow control valve ( 34 ) in fluid communication with the inlet ( 14 ) of said source of heat ( 12 ), said flow control valve ( 34 ) providing laminar flow of a coolant ( 22 ) at the outlet ( 36 ) thereof; and 
 a bypass conduit ( 31 ) providing fluid communication between said source of coolant ( 20 ) and the inlet ( 14 ) of said source of heat ( 12 ), said bypass conduit ( 31 ) facilitating selective bypassing of said flow control valve ( 34 ), a flow through said bypass conduit ( 31 ) being turbulent flow. 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a return conduit ( 17 ) providing fluid communication between the outlet ( 16 ) of said source of heat ( 12 ) and said source of coolant ( 20 ). 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said return conduit ( 17 ) includes a pressure relief valve ( 18 ) disposed therein. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pump ( 26 ) in fluid communication with said source of coolant ( 20 ) to pump the coolant ( 22 ) from said source of coolant ( 20 ) to said source of heat ( 12 ). 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a diverter valve ( 30 ) to facilitate selective bypassing of said flow control valve ( 34 ). 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said source of heat ( 12 ) is a die ( 12 ). 
     
     
       7. A system for thermal management of a die for die casting of metal comprising:
 a source of coolant ( 20 ); 
 a die ( 12 ) having an inlet ( 14 ) and an outlet ( 16 ), the inlet ( 14 ) and the outlet ( 16 ) connected by a cooling conduit ( 50 ) formed in said die ( 12 ); 
 a flow control valve ( 34 ) having an inlet ( 33 ) and an outlet ( 36 ), the inlet ( 33 ) of said flow control valve ( 34 ) in fluid communication with said source of coolant ( 20 ) and the outlet ( 36 ) of said flow control valve ( 34 ) in fluid communication with the inlet ( 14 ) of said die ( 12 ), said flow control valve ( 34 ) providing laminar flow of a coolant ( 22 ) at the outlet ( 36 ) thereof; 
 a bypass conduit ( 31 ) providing fluid communication between said source of coolant ( 20 ) and said die ( 12 ), said bypass conduit ( 31 ) providing a bypass around said flow control valve ( 34 ), a flow through said bypass conduit ( 31 ) being turbulent flow; and 
 a diverter valve ( 30 ) in fluid communication with said source of coolant ( 20 ), said diverter valve ( 30 ) facilitating selective bypassing of said flow control valve ( 34 ) through said bypass conduit ( 31 ). 
 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a return conduit ( 17 ) providing fluid communication between the outlet ( 16 ) of said die ( 12 ) and said source of coolant ( 20 ). 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 8 , wherein said return conduit ( 17 ) includes a pressure relief valve ( 18 ) disposed therein. 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a pump ( 26 ) in fluid communication with said source of coolant ( 20 ) to pump the coolant ( 22 ) from said source of coolant ( 20 ) to said die ( 12 ). 
     
     
       11. A method for thermal management of a die for die casting of metal, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a source of coolant ( 20 ); 
 providing a flow control valve ( 34 ) having an inlet ( 33 ) and an outlet ( 36 ), the inlet ( 33 ) of the flow control valve ( 34 ) in fluid communication with the source of coolant ( 20 ) and the outlet ( 36 ) of the flow control valve ( 34 ) in fluid communication with an inlet ( 14 ) of the source of heat ( 12 ), the flow control valve ( 34 ) providing laminar flow of a coolant ( 22 ) at the outlet ( 36 ) thereof; 
 providing a bypass conduit ( 31 ) in fluid communication between the source of coolant ( 20 ) and the source of heat ( 12 ), the bypass conduit ( 31 ) providing a bypass around the flow control valve ( 34 ), a flow through the bypass conduit ( 31 ) being turbulent flow; 
 providing a diverter valve ( 30 ) in fluid communication with the source of coolant ( 20 ), the diverter valve ( 30 ) facilitating selective bypassing of the flow control valve ( 34 ) through the bypass conduit ( 31 ); and 
 causing the coolant ( 22 ) to flow as desired through one of the flow control valve ( 34 ) to provide laminar flow to the source of heat ( 12 ) and the bypass conduit ( 31 ) to provide turbulent flow to the source of heat ( 12 ), thus controlling a heat removal rate from the source of heat ( 12 ). 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of providing a return conduit ( 17 ) between an outlet ( 16 ) of the source of heat ( 12 ) and the source of coolant ( 20 ) providing fluid communication therebetween. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of providing a pressure relief valve ( 18 ) disposed in the return conduit ( 17 ) to militate against formation of steam in the source of heat ( 12 ). 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of providing a pump ( 26 ) in fluid communication with the source of coolant ( 20 ) to pump the coolant ( 22 ) from the source of coolant ( 20 ) to the source of heat ( 12 ). 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of forming a cooling conduit ( 50 ) in the die ( 12 ).